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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - 25th July 2021
A message from the Standing Committee about how our Sunday worship will continue.
As from 1st August we will retain many of our current practices. However, you will no longer have to reserve a seat.
• Masks will be worn at services.
• Worshippers will be asked to sign in.
• Hands should be sanitised on arrival at church.
• Communion will remain by wafer only and the president will come to you.
• Exchanging the peace will remain the same.
• We ask people to respect those who wish to distance, but if you would like to sit with another member of the congregation, and they are willing, this will be permitted.
• If the weather allows we will continue to sing the 1st hymn outside and we will also go out the West Door for a final hymn and Blessing.
• From 8th August coffee will be served outside when the weather allows and if we have helpers willing to serve it.
Team Rector's retirement
The Team Rector, the Revd Frank Gimson, has announced his retirement. His last service will be a Team Service at St Laurence on 22nd August.
He writes: "It has been both a joy and a privilege to live and minister here in the Forest and Avon Team. It has been a good time for us and we have always been made very welcome in all the churches and the wider community. This has been our home for the past 19 years and is where our daughters have grown up and been nurtured in the faith. We will be very sorry to leave and will take many happy memories with us. However we believe that it is now the right time for us to move on."
In our cycle of prayer for our community, during August 2021 we will be
offering prayers for all living or working in
Gravel Close, Greenacres and Wheelwright Mews,
Saxonhurst and Wick Lane
Requests for particular prayers can be made:
by telephoning Reverend Frank Gimson on 01725 510326 or
emailing info@stlaurencedownton.co.uk
Any such requests will be kept confidential.
You can request prayers at any time – not just when
your road is on the monthly list.
Recorded Service for Sunday 1st August 2021
prayers, reflection and music.
you wish to join in with the prayers and responses.
and for our current pattern of services in church
Parish News magazine -
At present we are unable to print and distribute paper copies of the Parish News.
During these difficult times the Vicar, Rev Frank Gimson, is sharing Bible passages
and some thoughts on a regular basis.
St Laurence Church Annual Parochial Church Meeting
The Church Annual Meeting was held on Sunday 25th April 2021.
Here are links to the following related documents:
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - 28th April 2021
On Palm Sunday, 28th March, we resumed our worship together in church.
There is one service each Sunday at 10.30 am. This will be Holy Communion each week except for the third Sunday of each month when it will be Morning Prayer. The services are short and simple services without hymns, and communion is by wafer only. If you wish to come to a service please let us know by emailing me at fateamrector@outlook.com or calling me on 01725 510326 or Jo Parsons on 01725 512738, so that we can have some idea of numbers and make the necessary arrangements. We will maintain proper physical distancing and hygiene procedures will be observed, especially during the administration of communion. Face coverings must be worn.
There will also be a service for Ascension Day at 7.30 am on Thursday 13th May. This will be in the churchyard, weather permitting, or in church.
For those who are not able or ready to attend services in church we will continue to have a recorded services, but these will now be only three times a month. This will mean that we have services on the services page of the church website for the first, third and fourth Sundays in the month. There are service sheets on the website for all recorded Sunday and some other services which can be viewed or downloaded, enabling you to join in with prayers and responses.
Within the Team, there are also online services available each week from St Mary Redlynch and St Andrew Landford.
I will continue to say Morning Worship at 10.30am on Wednesdays in church. This is not a public or recorded service, but I will ring the church bell at 10.30am as a call to worship and you are encouraged to join me in a time of prayer from your own homes. On the third Wednesday of the month I will incorporate our Roads to God prayers.
The Church is open for private prayer on Wednesdays, from 11:00am to 12:00pm. A member of the Church will be present at all times as a steward, and everyone will be asked to maintain physical distancing and to leave their contact details.
Although I may still be unable to visit in person, I am available to provide pastoral support, or even just to have a chat. I also continue to share Bible passages and some thoughts on a regular basis which can be found on our Daily Reflections page. Please contact me if you would like to receive these by email.
God bless,
Revd. Frank Gimson (Vicar)
St Laurence Church is now on Facebook!
For all our latest news and events visit
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Together with many others in our community,
we are looking for ways to support and
help refugees and migrants.
for suggestions of how we might do this.
FREE MONEY for St Laurence Trinity FUNders
Support St Laurence's Trinity FUNders every time you shop online, click the sign up button on the page Link to start fundraising for St Laurence's Trinity FUNders.
Help St Laurence's Trinity FUNders raise money, just by shopping online.
Latest total changes daily - Total as at
05.05.21 stands at £951.66
THANK YOU to all our supporters
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